Tuesday, 6 July 2010

The burying of the AV referendum

Plaid Cymru and various pro-PR organisations are getting their knickers in a twist over the fact that the AV referendum is being held on the same day as local elections and the elections to the Welsh Assembly and Scottish Parliament.

They always have to find something to whinge about, don't they, these bloody Welshies and progressive liberal voting reformers? They should be pleased they even have their own Assembly and a possible referendum in the first place.

It makes total sense to do this. Firstly, it saves money. To hold a referendum on its own would cost millions of pounds and obviously I don't think that having such an important vote on a fundamental change to our democracy is worth spending money on.

Anyway, the money would be a total waste as in reality the whole charade is merely a window dressing exercise to appease our coalition partners. In fact while we're at it why not just have all of the elections for the next 5 years on the same day to save further cash and time. And just for good measure hold the finals of X Factor, Strictly Come Dancing and Britain's Got Talent on in the evening. Oh and Eurovision as well.

And secondly, referendums are held in most other countries to coincide with other elections. That's certainly the case in the New Zealand, US and Switzerland (to name 3 so not really most) and probably some others as well if I could be bothered to research it properly. Why should be any different? After all, it is always helpful to say we should copy what other countries do when it suits an argument. By the same token surely we should go the whole hog and take on board all aspects of their voting systems and politics. Perhaps we should have a President. Or Cantons. But that doesn't fit my agenda so I won't follow through my argument with any extended logic.

We just need to get this exercise in gesture politics out of the way so we can kick PR into the long grass once and for all and get on with maintaining a grossly unfair system that suits the status quo.

Have I mentioned the constituency link at all?

UPDATE: It seems that quite a few Tory MPs have complained about this too. When I say a few, I mean loads. In fact far more than the Plaid Cymru lot I mention above. So it would have been more accurate to start this post by saying "Tory MPS are getting their wife's knickers in a twist etc". They need to get a life. Let me just repeat that as I am really rather pleased with it as a savage put down.

They need to get a life.

I am so Oscar Wilde it hurts.

I don't know what they are worried about anyway, as the Bill needed to even have the referendum will never get through as it stands.